Administration in Car Nicobar
On the 1st of August, 1974, the Nicobar group of islands was declared a separate district with its Headquarters at Car Nicobar, which has half of the population of the Nicobar Islands. After its Independence, the Government of India did not allow outside traders to exploit the locals in order to protect the interests of the Nicobarese.The regulation for the Protection of Aboriginal Tribes came into force in 1956, under which entry to the Nicobar Islands was strictly restricted. However, in the late sixties and seventies the Administration started settling non-tribals in the region, which included Andmanis, ex-Defence personnel and Tamilians (for rubber plantations). Soon this increased the population of this small Island which led to a shifting and resettlement of 165 Car-Nicobari families in the Little Andaman Island.
The Administrative Setup in Car Nicobar
The administrative setup in the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar is entirely different from that in mainland India. The Lieutenant Governor is the executive head of UT. The executive wing runs under his supervision and direct monitoring with the help of heads of the various Departments.The Government Departments in the Nicobar Islands are designed to cover all the important aspects of the life in the islands. The head of each department is at the helm of the operations of both the secretariats and the directorates of the respective departments. The Government Departments are as follows:
- Agricultural Department
- Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department
- Information, Publicity and Tourism Department
- Police Department
- Labor, Employment and Training Department
- Public Works Department
The District Administration
The Nicobar District has a total of 22 small and big islands. Out of these 22 islands, only 12 are inhabited by people. The Nicobar Islands consists of 2 sub-divisions or Tehsils;- Car Nicobar
- Nancowry
As an entity of local government, the Tehsil Office (Panchayat Samiti) of Car Nicobar exercises certain fiscal and administrative power over the villages and municipalities within its jurisdiction. It is the ultimate executive agency for land records and related administrative matters. Its chief official is called the Tehsildar or the Talukdar.
The administrative capital is near the Indian Air Force station Car Nicobar Air Force Base, known as 'Headquarters' which is the largest junction in this small island with some shops, a hospital, a bank, a post office, the police headquarters and some government offices.
Office of the Deputy Commissioner (Nicobar District)
The office of the Deputy Commissioner is situated at Car Nicobar; which is the District Headquarter of Nicobar. The office has the Central Control over the District Administration. The office provides numerous developmental activities for the local people. It also controls all the Tehsils under the District viz. Car Nicobar, Nancowry and Great Nicobar, under the supervision and control of the Assistant Commissioners who work directly under the Deputy Commissioner.These Assistant Commissioners are further helped in their work by the Tehsildars, Village workers, BDOs and Extension Officers. The Assistant Commissioners of the different sections are also the Executive Magistrates of the respective regions. They look after various departments of Supply, Transport, Development, Shipping, Law and Order and Revenue of the respective sections.
As the district has been designated as the Integrated Tribal District, the Deputy Commissioner is the Ex Officio Chairman of the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA). The various Poverty Alleviation Programmes sponsored by the Ministry Of Rural development are implemented through District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), which is also headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The Deputy Commissioner is also the Magistrate and Collector of the District.
Functions of District Administration
1. Development of the tribal area of the District is done through TSP or Tribal Sub Plan of all the departments. An Integrated Tribal Development Agency - ITDP – has been constituted and registered under Societies Registration Act. It is responsible for implementing TSPs and for coordination between the different departments and also between the Administration and local public.ITDA, receives GIA (Grant in Aid) from the Govt of India to invest in the developmental activities planned for the District. ITDA works has contributed towards construction and maintenance of office buildings for Tribal Council, Multipurpose Gymnasium, Basketball Court, Information Center, Renovation and maintenance of Vocational Training Center, Bus Shelter, Pucca Walls, and Dormitory for attendants of patients in the District Hospital, Modification, renovation and repair of Community Hall, Renovation of Nicobaries Home etc.
2. Maintenance of Law & order and Public-safety
3. Disaster Management
- Formulation of District Disaster Management Plan, Community Based Disaster Management, Plan, etc.
- Relief & Rehabilitation in case of any disaster in Nicobar District.
4. Overall Developmental activities by creation of public utility systems and services
5. Revenue Functions include enforcement of A & N Islands Land Revenue & Land Reforms
Regulation, 1966, and A & N Islands Land Revenue & Land Reforms Rules, 1968. All works
associated with management and transactions of land are also handled by the Office.
6. De-Reservation of forest land for various purposes.
7. Acquisition of Land for Public Purpose under Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
8. Court Matters and issuance of various Certificates like the Local Certificate, Tribal Pass OBC
Certificate etc.
List of officers connected with Disaster Management
Shri. Rupesh Kumar Thakur (I.A.S)
Deputy Commissioner (Car Nicobar)
Telephone:
Office- 265220
Residence-265190
Fax-265177
Shri. M. Sanjay Balan
Assistant Commissioner (HQ)
Telephone:
Office-265566
Residence-265177
Fax-265205
Shri. Suresh Chand Meena
Assistant Commissioner (Nancowry)
Telephone:
OfficeE- 26322
Residence-263212
Fax-263202
Shri. Rajeev Singh
Assitant Commissioner (Great Nicobar)
Telephone:
Office- 264264
Residence-264233
Fax-264222
Shri. Sunil Kumar
Tehsildar (Car Nicobar)
Telephone:
Office-265567
The Village Administration
Car Nicobar has 15 villages and each village has a Tribal Council of elderly heads, which is constituted by the 1st Captains of Village Council falling in their jurisdiction. The Captains are elected democratically by secret ballot normally for tenure of 4 years. These 1st Captains select Chief Captain & Vice Chief Captain of the Tribal Council. At present in Nicobar district, there are seven Tribal councils namely Pilobhabi, Katchal, Car Nicobar, Kamorta, Teressa, Nancowry, and Chowra.The Village Council plays an significant role in the daily administrative activities at a grass-root level. These Councils also act as a link between the Local Administration and the tribal people of the island. Presently, most of the developmental schemes are being implemented through them.
Judiciary System
The apex body of the judiciary of Nicobar Islands is a Circuit Bench of the Kolkata High Court that operates from Port Blair. There are the district courts that fall under the jurisdiction of the session judges who monitor the smooth functioning of the judiciary in the region.Judiciary at the District Level
At the grassroots level, the District and the Sessions Judge look after the civil affairs of the state while the Chief Judicial Magistrate is at the apex of the criminal courts of the districts. Both are helped by Munseffs and Judicial Magistrates respectively for carrying out judicial functions and responsibilities.Police System in Car Nicobar
In 1991, the Nicobar District had been notified as a 'Police District' and an official of Superintendent of Police rank has been posted here. He assists the Deputy
Commissioner in maintaining Law and Order. There are 5 main police stations in Nicobar District; PS C/Bay, PS Nancowry, PS Car Nicobar, PS Teressa and PS Katchal. There are two SDPOs posted in Nicobar District.There are also 4 Look-out Post at:
- Chowra
- Macachua
- Tillangchong and
- Afra Bay
In general, the crime rate is very low with few cases registered annually, majority of them relating to Local and Special Laws. Overall, the District is peaceful, from the law & order point of view.
Political Parties
Andaman and Nicobar islands have only one Lok Sabha constituency. Being a single parliamentary constituency, the presence of independent state parties is miniscule. The solitary constituency is eagerly fought by almost all the major national parties but it does not elect any member to the Rajya Sabha.Another unique feature of this UT is that it does not have a state legislature. It comes directly under the control of the Central Government. The Lieutenant Governor is the representative of the federal government in Andaman and Nicobar.
Major Political Parties
There are about two and half lakh electors. The votes are conducted in 329 polling stations. The polling percentage is moderate at a notch over 60 percent. The major political parties here are the ones with a prominent national presence. The major political parties of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are:- Indian National Congress (INC)
- Communist Party of India (Lenninist) (CPIML)
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM)
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
There are also some state-level political parties:
- Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) (Liberation)
- Lok Jan Shakti Party (LNJSP)